


Missing

by Thisisnotaphasemom (ProcrastinatingDragon)



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: F/M, I never gave this fanfic a name so I just half-arsed it, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-26
Updated: 2014-10-26
Packaged: 2018-02-22 17:19:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2515646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ProcrastinatingDragon/pseuds/Thisisnotaphasemom
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tumblr Prompt: Levihan: Hanji goes missing on a mission and it is eventually assumed that she is dead. It hits Levi hard. HOWEVER, about a month or two (or more) later, she is found outside the wall, trying to get back in. (BONUS POINTS IF THAT NIGHT LEVI GOES TO VISIT HER IN HER ROOM AND JUST SUDDENLY HUGS HER AND CONFESSES AND THEY KIND OF STAY LIKE THAT FOR THE REST PF THE NIGHT)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Missing

**Author's Note:**

> Old piece I did of Levihan :D I figured since this was my SNK pseudonym, I'd add some older pieces I did.

Signs were obvious that the second squad was in peril.

Anxious glances were passed amongst each other - of those still remaining within check of Levi’s squad. Plenty of Hanji’s members remained behind with the others, tending to wounds and their gear, maintaining their sanity was a priority after the incident in the woods. Murmurs were cast through the crowd of those capable of standing. Worry, fret; those what were evoked when their squad mates failed to return after dark.

The captain was fully aware of the tensity building in the environment. More thoughts upon the subject inflated his agitation and his comrades kept their distances in fear of his unusually calm wrath. His mind was elsewhere. The Scouting Legion lost plenty in the past year, and they have yet to receive new recruits with open arms. It would be a huge deal if Zoe failed to return - after all, she is an asset to humanity with her brains; even if she didn’t use it with the common sense she was born with.

Common sense, he thought with a snort. Levi was more guilt-ridden for not acting upon the dread he would lose her more than just an ally, but something else pitched in his chest. Petra claimed he cared, and no doubt, he genuinely placed his feelings before his head a few times on the job. But, emotions became a lesser priority as the years passed and his bonds made his team inseparable. It was no different with Squadleader Hanji Zoe.

Erwin Smith had summoned him a moment later regarding the incident rather than the losses.

"I knew the titans around these parts are mostly abnormals, but the one being sought caused a hell of a lot trouble." the commander stated. His introduction was first with the polite greeting, but his topic was pulled into the conversation between them too hastily. His face indicated he was serious to prohibit protesting before the shorter man caught on. "We kill the Titan so it isn’t a problem anymore."

He was dismissed without another word. Footsteps quickened. The plan was bearable if it meant keeping another unpredictable monster at bay from the missing squad. If they still live.

Levi paced around after the short conversation with the Commander with his own issues turning up like dirt affected by farmers. Eventually, he got ready for bed and stared at the wall until exhaustion transitioned into sleep.

The black stallion belonging to him was being curry-brushed when the commotion woke him up from the trance he often fell into when tending his horse. While nuzzled for more brushing, Levi gently waved him off as he approached the crowds thickening in width around battered soldiers emerging from the woods.

"They’re back! They’re alive!"

All the soldiers hooted with excitement towards the returning comrades that even Levi felt a ghost of a smile play at his lips. Instead, his lips formed into a thin line as he studied the returning identities. Only a small handful dared to join the mini expedition. Zero lives lost. Thank the God; holding the remnants of humanity together. Funny how he thanked an invisible entity, but faith kept a piece of his soul somewhere in this world.

He was relieved to see familiar faces despite the looming exhaustion pulling at filthy exteriors. It wasn’t enough to him as his pounding heart softened in his chest to a steadier beat.

Mobilt joined the rest of the crowd, carrying a face of gloom. He barely smiled at the happy emotes and his eyes burned with a fearful light. The same light when Hanji got herself trapped in hideous situations.

Hanji’s companion in the squad took shaky breaths as chattering transformed into strained questions about Hanji’s whereabouts. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he struggled to maintain his sanity in recalling undesirable memories and place it into words.

"She disappeared. I tried to follow her, but she took off from the Titan." Mobilt recalled with pauses in the beginning and end; hesitating on his statement.  
Levi’s own face lit with alarm towards the news. He struggled to try and maintain control of where his arms were, near the two hilts.

"Where did you last see her?" He queried. His expression turned stern, but lacked hostility, an appropriate behavior in the midst of trouble. Denail swam in facts: Hanji is gone.

“I don’t know…where she is. I did try to look for her!” Mobilt answered defensively. His wild, animated gestures proved his hysteria over his failure to keep Hanji in check.

The crowd leaned in further to prevent any problems to occur between them. Levi was only one to back away from the group and retreat from the business occurring over the missing soldier.

Erwin stood at the edge of the stable after Levi dealt with his horse. Grey eyes focused coldly upon the commander.  
“There’s a schedule we have to go by, but we can go find Hanji on another time.” Erwin said. Sincerity crossed his face.

"Yeah," mumbled Levi. "when will she be back? I wish I never allowed her to go survey the abberants."

A hand gently landed on the captain’s soldier. “It’s not your fault. Hanji does go peculiar lengths, but she is willing to do what it takes…to learn more about titans.”

"Humph," the other man grunted. "that’s the least of my concerns, Erwin. Right now anyway."

Erwin nodded, “Hmm, I’ll drop the subject for now. We’ll find her eventually.”

They parted ways once more. The day went on as usual after the hectic return of the remaining squad members, minus the missing leader, but plenty decided not to dwell on the matter. Not yet. Already a couple soldiers silently mourned a possible death after the last sweep of an extra mission to search for the woman. No sign of her except hoof prints eventually fading into the mud where the directions were endless.

The captain’s own worry was endless. He was normally a quiet man who kept to himself a majority of the time, but he literally hid himself from human beings unless ordered to appear in person. The other times, he sat in his room brooding and working on papers.

Misery had hit worse after the rumors had spread about Hanji’s presumed death. The points were obvious:

1.Gone for a month; which takes some skill to survive when the gas could be low, blades broken, and food rations low.

2.Titans. Obvious reasons. If her horse is still alive, she may stand a chance, but even horses have limits in their outstanding stamina.

3.The writer failed to think of more points. What a dummy.

Hanji, you can be such an idiot sometimes, Levi pondered. His affection for her went further than just his scoldings shrouding what protective nature laced itself within his core. He knew she was capable of handling herself with the remarkable mind she was born with. It was why he had stubbornly stood by the theory she lived. Humans evolved to become survivors and events surrounding them were not harmless.

He sipped his tea while he lounged back and his head lolled a second later. The cup finally reached the desk and air passed through the holes in his nose. Relaxation wasn’t what he ended up desiring, but he accepted it.  
…

Another month had passed in the walls guarded by soldiers and blantantly layered with titans littering what was left of Wall Maria’s body. The small portion of mankind’s world were infamous for the constant chattering over crimes, rumors, and the cult roaming about on the streets. Soldiers kept their distance as they prepared the trainees and focused on the enemy outside than within Rose and Sina.

Levi was elected as one of the soldiers to communicate with Commander Smith to discuss the future of new recruits, the courageous souls within the batch of trainees. Obviously, they left out the extra squad they could join if she could choose in later days, and it annoyed him to imagine a squad to baby over with prepubescent teens. His current one were older, with some immature quirks, but he learned to deal with that after time with them. New soldiers would help the dwindling population in the Survey Corps; the rational part of his brain stated. True, he agreed to himself. He would just have to live with it.

The inevitable meeting aside, Levi’s friend offered to aid some comfort afterwards when they were alone.

"Have you been feeling alright?"

Levi lifted his head and turned it towards Erwin. “Does it look like I’m okay?”

"Easy on the tone, Levi!" Erwin raised both his hands at the venomous response. "everyone has been worried about you for the past two months."

"Sorry. I’m too busy waiting for the damn truth to come out about her."  
Levi’s voice cracked mid sentence.

"I know you miss her. I’m genuinely concerned that she disappeared like that, but I’m also worried for your health." the commander paused for a second to search for the appropriate words. "You wouldn’t want her to return and see you unwell now, would you?"

A strained chuckle escaped his lips. “I suppose not. Assuming you aren’t lying to help me.”

"Of course not. You know very well how many lives Hanji has before she gives up."

"Very true." Levi agreed.  
  
The sound of panicking soldiers became an ideal chance to switch topics. The panicking part made it more of a priority. Levi snapped his head towards the sound of his comrades and he began to walk towards it - the leadership instincts kicking into his system. He paid no attention to what Erwin did next as the shouting gradually got louder with each distance closing in between them.

At last, he found his wandering eyesight focus on the emblem containing roses and thorns: the Garrison. A few soldiers had fled their designated spot on top of the remaining wall when easily an extra pair of hands on the cannons could slow down more titans if the colossal one ever returned. They were not of his sect so he had no control over their behavior during the hysteria they fell into.

He approached them as they mumbled words he could only hear glimpses of, but eavesdropping was a lack of mannerisms within the walls. He knew the consequences if someone did so on the wrong crowd. But he remained to steer closer to them and figure out what was causing their distress.

One of the soldiers turned their eyes upon Levi, and performed a hasty salute to a fellow soldier. The other followed suit.

"Sir," Soldier one exclaimed, "I can explain why we’re far from our posts-"

"You see," Soldier two interrupted, "there was this woman who was standing outside the wall where the titans are roaming!"

"We couldn’t tell if she was friend or foe and nobody wanted to check it out for ourselves so we wanted to find Commander Pixis!" Soldier one picked up the explanation from there; breathing heavily from the run from the wall to the buildings near Sina. No doubt the extra weight of their gear slowed them down.

Levi’s eyes widened. “Is it possible to retrieve her?”

"Oh! You want us to go into the God-forsaken hole, and risk dying to save one person?" Both soldiers uttered together their alarm.

"She’s a close…friend of mine." Levi explained through gritted teeth. He breathed through his nose before he lost control of his impatience to save Hanji. "Forget it. Let’s go ask Dot for help."

The two Garrison soldiers tagged along with Levi to find where the Commander Pixis was. Levi wasn’t eager to listen to their pleas to have an extra witness to their words, but he agreed to add less of a prank-induced story to the table. In spite of it, he was genuinely relieved to know his guy instinct told him right about Hanji’s status.

The story was explained to the older man who was polite enough in hearing out the two men’s story before Levi pitched in his confirmation that the woman was likely Hanji Zoe. Pixis nodded his approval to retrieve her in the safest way possible, which took some time until one of the recruits happened to prove well for the intellectual field.

Hanji was exhausted and her body showed signs of low rations of food, but she managed to feed herself. Everything about her exterior was laced with dirt and leaves all over and in her hair. Doctors claimed she was healthy, but she needed a long resting period before she could go back to work.

The story was presumed that Hanji was tardy for the return home to the walls. She might have went back into the forest a few times to find any traces of her squad, one of those times being the last before she headed home, and miraculously survived.

Nobody knew how she did it, but they accepted the case.

Levi was capable of falling asleep for that night when Hanji returned home in one piece, but the second night, he couldn’t fall back into the dreams he had of Paradise.

He tiptoed through the hallway and into the room where Hanji was resting peacefully. His chest was about to burst from seeing her face once more enough the peace made a tear run down his cheek.

He cautioned himself in approaching her in a non-threateningly way as the woman stirred from he nightmares possessing her dreams. The animation had faster frames as she tossed and turned, small sounds escaping her.  
He wrapped his arms around her as she prepared to scream. He hugged her tightly, suddenly, to his own surprise. Levi wanted to know this was her. Of a dream which was truly real.

Hanji was slightly awake as her face glanced at Levi. Her eyes closer as she sighed; either of relief or sorrow.

"Gone…Everyone was gone." She recalled the ugly thought.

"Everyone is here," Levi reassured her in his usual tone. "Nobody is going to abandon you."

His own words made him think of the future, and the incident they intended to never repeat. He promised to her nobody would abandon her and he would make sure none would hurt her. Another thought evoked an ancient emotion he forgot he once had, of keeping Hanji close where she would never get hurt by boys and deserve a special someone.

He doubted he was that special someone, but the missing squad leader arc had stirred his beating heart to another level. He wanted to be with her, more than just partners in the army, but another type of partnership.

"Hanji?" His question was barely audible.

He wanted to confess this feeling to her now, but she was fast asleep against his chest. He would tell her later when the time was right. And hopefully she felt the same way.

He kissed her forehead. His arms remained wrapped around her in a comforting way until a new day had arrived.


End file.
